Rhegan Spiegel was a creative and caring woman, a former college athlete who had found a new community in a local bookstore and was exploring ways to make her city a better place. The 28-year-old female was remembered by friends as a “ray of light” and a “North Star,” someone smart, curious, and fearless who brought people together. Born on October 30, 1997, to Dennis and Wende Spiegel, she grew up in Savannah, Missouri, where she was a standout volleyball player.
She went on to play as a defensive specialist and libero for the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Roos, where she was a three-time Academic All-WAC selection while majoring in Studio Art. After college, she became deeply involved at Turnsol Books and Coffee in Kansas City, first as a volunteer and then as an employee. Friends said she poured her creativity into the space, establishing the children's section, a borrowing library, and a letter-writing station for visitors. She was considering returning to school to gain new skills to help her community.
Just before midnight on Sunday, October 18, 2026, residents in the 1200 block of East 42nd Street, near Forest Avenue, were disturbed by the sound of a single gunshot. When Kansas City, Missouri, police officers arrived, they found Rhegan Spiegel lying wounded in the street. First responders administered life-saving measures at the scene before she was transported to a local hospital. Tragically, she was pronounced dead a short time later. The area where the shooting occurred is a residential neighborhood in the city's South Hyde Park area.
Detectives from the Kansas City Police Department immediately began canvassing the area for witnesses and evidence. A neighbor’s security camera provided a crucial lead, capturing footage of a silver car pulling up, followed by a man. The video recorded the sound of one gunshot and a scream, after which both the driver and the man were seen leaving the area. Investigators worked quickly to identify a vehicle of interest, a 2008 Nissan Altima, and released a photo to the public asking for help in locating it.
Within days, the investigation made significant progress. On Thursday, October 22, police announced that they had located and recovered the Nissan Altima for evidence processing. At the same time, they confirmed that two men had been taken into custody and placed on a 24-hour investigative hold for questioning in connection with Rhegan’s death. Detectives began working with the prosecutor's office to determine what charges, if any, would be applicable in the case.
As police announced the arrests, dozens of Rhegan’s friends and loved ones gathered for a vigil at Turnsol Books. The crowd grew so large it spilled onto the sidewalk outside the Crossroads bookstore. Inside, a letter-writing station—one of Rhegan’s own creations—was set up for people to write messages to her and her family. Friends shared memories of a multifaceted person they affectionately called "Eggs," who was known in many circles, from UMKC volleyball to skateboarding to the literary community. Caroline Crew, a co-owner of the bookstore, said, "She just wanted to hang out with her friends and make the world a better place. Which that shouldn’t be too much to ask for." Another friend, Austin Patterson, remembered her as a guiding light in his life. "It is just a tragedy to not just lose her, but to lose the person that could have been," Crew said.
The gathering was a quiet, informal tribute, with people hugging, sharing stories, and healing together. They remembered a woman who was committed to building community and making Kansas City better. As of late October 2026, the two men taken into custody remained on an investigative hold pending the filing of formal criminal charges. The Kansas City Police Department continues to ask anyone with information to contact homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
